It Wasn't the Orient...

...but rather orientation.  National Pre-Departure Orientation (the PDO as we so affectionately call it) was just this last week in Washington D.C.  

After a 5 hour flight I had finally landed.  Brianna (another student from Utah) and I got off the plane to meet up with the rest of the group.  We were all shuttled to the 4-H Center where we received our room assignments, a T-shirt, a tote bag and the official agenda for the next four days.  

Somewhere during my travels, my jeans had ripped.  I'm not usually one to be prepared, but by some form of inspiration I had packed a mending kit and so I spent the couple hours we had before the opening meeting repairing the slit.  I'm no seamstress, but it held and I was pretty happy.  (This really had nothing to do with orientation, but it was probably one of my finer accomplishments of the week...so I'm including it anyway.)

    o-ri-ent
      [v. ohr-ee-ent]
    to familiarize (a person) with new surroundings or circumstances, or the like

The purpose of the PDO was just that.  There are 65 of us.  We're placed among ten different countries.  Each country group was assigned a group leader who had recently returned from the country we were placed.  Logan was ours.  He was fantastic.  He was so open and honest about the culture and his experience in Ghana -- he was the most helpful person I've yet to talk to.

Lauren, Logan and Lisa
Logan was the group leader for  Ghana.

 Most of the PDO was spent with our group.  Someone from one of the implementing organizations (American Councils, AFS, Amideast) led a general discussion that we would discuss in context of our country specifically at the end.  We talked about every topic from how to be an effective ambassador, cultural norms, and health and safety.

The highlight of the PDO was our visit to the Ghanaian Embassy, the State Department and Lincoln Memorial. We met up with Ghanaian students who had spent this last school year in the US on the YES program.  They were all so friendly and so excited we were going to Ghana.  On the bus, Anyass (one of the Ghanaian students) turned to me and asked where in Ghana I'd be staying. I told him I didn't have a host family yet, to which he replied, "Oh don't worry! My family will host you.  I will take care of you!"

The YES students from Ghana and the YES Abroad
students going to Ghana outside the
Ghanaian Embassy.

He was joking...I think.

The Ghanaian Embassy was such an amazing experience.  We were served a traditional Ghanaian meal, which was delicious, but I could not even nearly finish.  I was surrounded by people who were so eager to help and answer all my questions.  And the ambassador was much more warm and relaxed than I had expected.  He insisted on us staying seated when he entered and as we introduced ourselves.  He'd laugh and make a joke here and there throughout the afternoon. Honestly, it felt more like a really big family dinner than anything else.

Afterward, we visited the State Department and listened to the man who started the YES program ten years ago speak to us.  He was such a charismatic and insightful speaker, which was also a surprise to me.  Perhaps I need to break down my stereotype of government officials. 

The YES Abroad group in front of the Lincoln Memorial

To top the day off, we visited the Lincoln Memorial and saw the reflecting pool.  Again, such a cool experience.  There I was, actually in the place I've seen so many pictures of.
  
 
The next day was filled with the orientation workshops and Saturday we all returned home.  

Well, not all of us.  The Thailand and India groups stayed in DC for another couple days for their Gateway Orientation and then they left for their host countries.  I leave in two months.  The time will go by so slowly in some regards, but so quickly in others.